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A coating manufacturer adds fumed silica because the pigments or fillers are settling during storage.
After the adjustment, however, sedimentation still occurs.
The immediate reaction may be:
“We need more fumed silica.”
Sometimes dosage does need optimization.
But increasing the amount without checking the formulation and process can create another problem without solving the original one.
Fumed silica can contribute to rheological control by forming interactions within the liquid system.
Depending on the formulation, this can help with:
However, the actual effect depends on how the silica interacts with the complete coating system.
Adding the correct silica but dispersing it poorly can prevent the formulation from obtaining the expected effect.
When troubleshooting, check:
Addition sequence → dispersion equipment → mixing conditions → formulation → dosage
before simply increasing the silica concentration.
A controlled laboratory comparison is more useful than changing several variables at the same time.
Increasing fumed silica may strengthen the rheological effect.
But excessive addition may also influence:
The objective is therefore not:
Maximum silica loading
but:
Enough rheological control without damaging the required application properties.
IOTA HL7200 is a hydrophilic fumed silica with a nominal BET surface area around 200 m²/g.
It can be evaluated in coatings for applications including rheological control and anti-settling.
For customers currently using another hydrophilic 200-grade fumed silica, HL7200 can also be evaluated as an alternative through controlled formulation testing.
But specification similarity alone should not be treated as proof of identical performance.
A useful first comparison is:
Current silica / current dosage
vs.
IOTA HL7200 / same initial dosage
Keep the base formulation and processing conditions unchanged.
Then compare:
After the first comparison, dosage and processing can be optimized if necessary.
Does adding fumed silica automatically stop pigment settling?
No. Dispersion, formulation, dosage and processing also influence the result.
Should more silica be added if settling continues?
Not automatically. First determine whether dispersion and the existing dosage are appropriate.
Can excessive fumed silica affect coating application?
Yes. Rheology changes can influence flow, leveling and processing.
What type of product is IOTA HL7200?
It is a hydrophilic fumed silica with a nominal BET surface area of approximately 200 m²/g.
Can HL7200 be evaluated against another 200-grade hydrophilic silica?
Yes. A controlled side-by-side formulation trial is the appropriate starting point.
Related Product:
IOTA HL7200 Hydrophilic Fumed Silica
Application boundary: Anti-settling and rheological performance depend on the complete coating formulation, dispersion process, dosage and storage conditions. Final performance should be verified in the customer's actual system.
